Folding partition



Dec. 30,- 1930. E. J. G. PHILLIPS 1,786,505

FOLDING PARTITION Filed Oct. 12, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 mama/ w mefl/ mwgM D 3 E. J. G. PHILLIPS 1,786,505

FOLDING PARTITJ ION I Filed Oct. 12, 1928 .3 Sheets-Sheet 2 En I g A EPatented Dec. 30, 1930 PATENT OFFICE ELLIS J. G. PI-IIILLIPS, OFAURORA,'ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO RICHARDS-WILCOX MANU- FACTURING COMPANY,OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS FOLDING PARTITIONApplication filed October 12, 1928. Serial No. 311,990.

The present invention relates to improvements in folding partitions ordoors of the type frequently employed as a temporary dividing wall inlarge rooms, or as a closure 5 or door for large entrances. Thesedevices are usually made up of doors or units hinged together'in pairs,each pair forming a section of the partition. The several sections areusually mounted to slide or roll along upper 10 and lower guideways,with'the doors of each section free to pivot or swing transverselyrelatively to the doorway, so as to be capable of being moved to one orboth sides of the room ordoorway andt-here folded together at rightangles to their former position for leaving the major portion of thedoorway clean. I

In closing the doorway the several sections 3 are straightened out orextended into edge- I wise relation in the plane of the doorway. At thistime it is desirable that the adjacent edges of successive sectionscontact with each other in closely fitting relation so as to make 0 thepartition as soundproof as possible and M to avoid openings permittingvision through the partition. This same closely fittlng rela tion shouldalso prevail between the outer edges of the endrnost sections and theambs Q0 at the sides'of the doorway. Heretofore, conb iderabledifliculty has been encountered in attempting to retain such closelyfitting relation between the sections and between the end sections andthe side jarnbs across the entire width of the partition. The principalfactor contributing to this ditiiculty has been the swelling andshrinking of the wood sections under different atmospheric conditions,the shrinking of the sections resulting in such spaces or openings, andthe swelling of the sections frequently making it difficult to close thepartition. In addition, to attempt to make closely fitting partitionnecessitates very accurate measurements and carpentry, 45 which isobjectionable.

The general object of the presentinvention is to avoid thesediiiiculties and objections by providing an improved construction andarrangement of spring pressed jambs for to transmitting spring pressurethrough the series of'door sections when the partitionis in closedposition. I

These spring pressed ambs function automatically tomaintain closelyfitting contact between the opposing edges of adjacent. sec-w tions andbetween the outer sections and the jambs,and insure easy operation ofthe partltlon, notwithstanding the swelling or shrinking of the sectionsor slight inaccu-f edges of the end sections which will permitthenecessary swinging rotation of said sec? tions incident to foldingthe same into open posltlon while sa1d sections are Lin-contact w1th,the' ambs. These cooperating surfaces avoid any tendency of the rotativemovement of the end section springing the jamb sidewise or otherwisetending to injure the same. The present construction enables a springpressed jamb to be employed in conjunction with that type of. partitionin which the sections are-locked in folded position by upper and lowerstops cooperating between the upper and lower edges of the section andthe doorway. The present construction is also adaptable to partitionswhich separate at the center and fold each way, in which arrangement oneof said spring pressed jambs is disposed at each side of the doorway.Other advantages of the invention will appear fromthe:following'description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating such embodiment:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view through the partition,illustrating in full lines the sections extended to closed position, andillustrating in dotted lines the sections folded to their open position;

Fig.2 is a horizontal sectional view through the upper guideway, showingthe engaging relation between one of the end sections and the adjacentspring pressed jamb when the partition sections are folded; V

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View illustrating the arcuatebearing surfaces on the outer edge of the endmost section adapted toengage with the jamb;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view of this end section in contactingengagement with the jamb;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the upperguideway and illustrating the outer edge of the end partition section inelevation;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the planeof the line 66 of Fig. 4 and illustrating the arcuate bearing surfacesengaging between the upper part of the door and the upper part of thejamb;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the plane ofthe line 77 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view through the lower portion of thedoor and jamb.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the partition is composed of a plurality ofindependent sections A, B, C, D etc, four of such sections being shown,although it will be evident that a greater or lesser number may beprovided, depending upon the Width of the room or doorway. Each, ofthese sections consist of two panels or door units 10 and 11, havingtheir adjoining edges hinged together by hinge brackets '12 which aresuitably secured to the panels. Such hinge connection permits eachsection to be folded together into closed position with the two panels10 and 11 disposed back to back substantially in parallelism with eachother, as shown in Fig. 2, and permits each section to be extended outinto closed position with all of the panels disposed in edge to edgealignment across the doorway, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The weight ofeach section A, B, etc. is carried on caster wheels 13 which are mountedat the lower corners of the opposite or free edges of the panels 1011.The caster wheels roll along a lower track or rail 14 disposed in thefloor (Fig. 4c) and each panel has pivotal mounting on its associatedcaster wheel, so as to permit the panel to swing angularly relativelythereto when the sections are being folded, as will be presentlydescribed. The upper corners of these me free edges of the panels 1011have guided restraint in an upper guideway 15. Rollers 16 extendupwardly from each of these corners and engage in said guideway forholding the sections upright.

The axis of the upper roller 16 is vertically aligned with the swivelingaxis of the lower caster wheel 13, thereby providing vertical pivot axesadjacent to each free edge of the section, around which the panels ofthe section can swing in the folding movement thereof. The detailstructure of the mounting for the lower caster wheel 13 and of the upperguideway 15 need not be described, as such is well known and does notconstitute a part of the present invention. It will be noted from Fig. 5that the upper guideway 15 is usually concealed in a wood framestructure built along the top of the doorway.

The sides of the doorway are defined by two vertical ambs 1S18. In thepreferred construction both of these jambs are spring mounted, and thepartition is arranged to separate at the center with the two lefthandsections A and B folding together against the jamb 18 at the lefthandside of the doorway and the two righthand sections C and D foldingtogether against the jamb at the righthand side of the doorway, asillustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Referring particularly to Figs.6, 7 and 8, each jamb, which preferably consists of a wood bar extendingthe height of the doorway, has guided mounting for inward and outwardmovement in a guide slot 19 formed in the edge of a box-like framestructure 21 built at the side of the doorway. At spaced points alongits length the jamb has guided support on long screws 22 which screwinto a wood plate 23 in the frame strueture 21.

The heads 22 of said screws project into holes 24 extending through thejamb. The smooth shank portion of each screw has closely fittingengagement in a hole formed in a plate 25 which is secured to the rearside of the jamb. A compression spring 26 is mounted on the screw tobear against the plate 25, the other end of said spring preferablyextending into a counterbore in the wood plate 23. The two or morescrews 22 disposed at different points in the height of the jamb thussupport and guide the amb by their engagement in the apertured plates 25which are secured to the jamb. The compression springs 26 on thesescrews normally tend to force the jamb outwardly through the slot 19,movement thereof in this direction being limited by the heads 22 of thescrews engaging the inner sides of the plates The foregoing constructionis duplicated in the case of the other jamb 18 at the opposite side ofthe door way.

As shown in Figs. 2, 6 and 8, the outer edge of each amb 1.8 ispreferably formed slightly concave in cross section, and the cooperatingouter edge of the end partition section is comrespondingly formedconvex, thereby providing two correspondingly rounded surfaces forengaging with each other when the partition is closed. These roundedsurfaces extend continuously from top to bottom of the jamb and of thedoor, but it is desirable that wearing contact between these surfaces beconfined. to certain vertically spaced points along the door and jamb,at which points metallic wear plates are embedded in the two surfaces.

Preferably these wear plates are disposed at top and bottom of the doorand jamb. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the top plate 28 which is countersunkin the edge or face of the j amb,

being secured therein by screws as shown and having short flangesembracing the sides of the j anib. The outer face of this plate isformed concave correspondingly with the remainder of the edge of thejamb. Contacting with this wear plate 28 is a plate 29 which is recessedinto the outer edge of the end panel 10 at a point directly opposite theplate 28. plate 29 is formed convex corresponding to the convexformation of the entire vertical edge of the panel, this convex surfacebeing received within the concave surface along the edge of the amb 18.The two wear plates are preferably positioned at a height which willdispose the plate 29 at the upper corner of the panel, as shown in Fig.3. Such plate is secured to the panel by screws 31 engaging incountersunkopenings in the plate, the at-' tachment of the plate tothewood panel being additionally reenforced againstlateral stresses byforming a vertical groove in the inner side of the plate which matcheswith a tenon projecting from the corresponding edge of the panel, asindicated at 32 in Fig. 3.

' On the inner side of the endmost partition 10, corresponding to what Ihave above referred to as the folding side of the partition, is anarcuate bearing surface 34 which is adapted to maintain contact with thejamb plate 28 when the partition sections are folded together to openposition. As best shown in 3,this arcuate surface is preferably formedas a hollow rib projecting from the face of the plate 35 which issecured to the upper corner of the partition, as by the screws 36.' Theend of tne arcuate surface 34 merges into the convex surface of the wearplate 29 with an "absence of corners or projecting shoulders at thispoint so that there will be nothing to strike the jamb in swinging the.

panellO between its open and closed posi! tions. Mounted on the otherside of the panel 10, oppositely to the plate 35, is another plate 37having a laterally projecting boss or protuberance 38 which is adaptedto contact with a similar projection on the next adjacent panel when thepanels are folded together, whereby to maintain adequate spacing betweenthe folded panels so that there will be no possibility of the edges ofthe panels striking and amming with each other in the folding orunfolding movements of the sections. I

A similar arrangement of contacting wear plates is disposed at the lowercorners of the endmost panel 10 and the jamb 18. Referring to Fig. 8,which is a section through these lower corners, a concave wear plate 28is recessed in the face of the jamb 18, said plate being substantially aduplicate of the upper wear plate 28. The openings 24 in the j amb inwhich the guide screws 22 repose are preferably situated in, the samehorizontal planes as the upper and lower wear plates 28 and 28 The outerface of the companionso that these plates cover the front ends of suchopenings, the removal of the plates permitting convenient access to thescrews 22. Adapted for engagement with this lower wear plate 28, is aconvex wear plate 29 which is secured to the panel 10 by screws 39. Saidscrews preferably tap into a box-like frame 41 which is recessed intothe lower corners of the panel, and in which frame the lower casterwheel 13 has swiveled mounting. The sides of said mounting frame areclosed over by plates 42 and 43 which finish the corner of the panel,said plates preferably extending partly over the sides of the convexwear plate 29, as shown in Fig. 8. These overlapping edges of the sideplates may be secured to the wear plate 29 by transverse screws 44, asbest shown in Fig. 3. The plate 42, which is disposed on the foldingside of the partition, is formed at its lower edge with an outwardlyextending hollow rib denning an arcuate bearing surface 34 similar tothe bearing surface 34 at the upper corner of the panel.

This arcua-te bearing surface also merges into the convex surface of thewear plate 29 without any projections or shoulders intervening whichmight janib or wedge againstthe lower wear plate 28 of the jamb in theswinging movement of the panel. The side plates at the lower corner ofthe panel are also formed with projecting bosses or'protuberances 38,similar to the upper protuberance 38, for contacting with similarprojections on thelower corner of the next adjacent panel to hold thepanels properly spaced when in their folded positions. It will beunderstood that this same arrangement, of wear plates 2829, 2829 andarcuate hearing surfaces 34-34 is provided on the opposite jamb andendmost panel at the opposite side of the doorway. 7

It is customary to provide these folding partitions with looking partsfor holding the sections together when folded back at the side of thedoorway. A typical arrangement of such locking mechanism is illustratedin Fig. 2. Projecting upwardly from the outer corners of the panels 10are locking lugs 46 16 which are adapted to engage with lockingshoulders 4747 in a notched plate 48 when the sections are folded backto open position. As shown in Fig. 3, each locking lug projects upwardlyalongside the vertical spindle or hearing pin 49 on which the upperroller 16 is journaled, the lug and pin preferably being formed asintegral partsof a bracket 51 which is secured to the notched out uppercorner-of the panel.

The roller 16 associated with the other edge of the section is mountedon a similar bearing pin 49 (Fig. 2), but there is no locking lugassociated with this latter bearing pin. The upper guideway comprises arelatively narrow lower portion 15 through which the i ll "1 52 isomitted.

locking lugs LG-46 and bearing pins 4949 are free to move when thesections are ex tended into edgewise relation, but which narrow portionprevents the folding of the partition sections until the stop lugs 4(34(are in registry with their respective notched out openings in thelocking plate 48 so that such lugs can swing into said openings in thefolding movement of the sections, see Fig.2. With the locking lugs ofeach section thus engaged with the corresponding locking shoulders inthe plate 48, it will he observed that the sections will be held infolded position at the side of the doorway so that they cannot tip inthe guideways or move longitudinally thereof while in this foldedcondition. The locking plate 48 is set into the framework enclosing theupper guideway, see Fig. 5, being substantially concealed therein. Theupper edges of the door panels are confined between molding strips 5252except at the folding zones at the sides of the doorway, where the innermolding strip 52 is cut away to permit the folding movement of thesections.

It is also customary to provide cooperating locking shoulders betweenthe lower outer corners of the panels 10 and the lower guideway 14,which lower locking shoulders need not be described as they are wellknown. The

arrangement is such that registry between the lower locking shoulder oneach panel 10 and its cooperating locking shoulder associated with thelower guideway occurs at the same time that the upper locking lug 46 or46 engages with the upper locking shoulder 47 or 47'. Additional guideor registration means may be provided for the sections in the form ofpins 54 which are mounted on the panels 10 of the sections B and C, suchpins being spaced from the hinge edges of said panels, as shown in Fig.2. These pins are adapted to have guided movement in the narrow portion15 of the upper guideway 15. As these sections are brought to thefolding side of the doorway, said pins 54 are permitted to swing out ofthe narrow guideway 15' through an intercepting passageway 55 whichopens outwardly therefrom through the upper guide frame structure. Assoon as the pin 54 is freed from the guiding restraint of the guideway15 the panels of that section are free to be folded, the section at thistime being disposed in the folding Zone where the stop strip It will beunderstood that a similar intercepting passageway 55 is asso ciated withthe narrow portion 15 of the guideway adjacent to the opposite side ofthe doorway for permitting the pin 54 of the other section C to move outof said guideway portion 15.

It will be seen from the foregoing that each spring pressed jamb 18 ateach side of the doorway remains substantially in conti uous contactwith the outermost panel 10 of its rcspective section A or D, as thecase may be. That is to say, the jamb has resilient engagement with saidpartition section when the sections are all extended out to closedposition, and also has resilient engagement with the section when thesections are folded back to open position. The resilient pressure thustransmitted to the endmost sections when the sections are extended outto closed position serves to maintain the contacting edges of all of thesections in tight engagement, and compensates for any swelling orshrinking of the panels, as previously described. This transmission ofspring pressure across the entire series of sections from opposite sidesof the doorway follows from the fact that each endmost section A and Dhas roller mounting in the upper and lower guideways and is hence freeto move endwise for transmitting the pressure to the next adjacentsections.

The advantage of having the spring pres sure of the jambs act on theendmost sections when the partition is folded lies in the fact that suchpressure aids in holding the locking lug 46 in proper locking engagementwith the corresponding shoulder 47 (and also maintaining resilientcontact between any lower stop lug and shoulder which may be employed)thereby preventing end play of the sections and holding the same intheir properly folded positions.

The arcuate surfaces 34-34 extending from the convex wear plates 29-29permit the sections to be folded into open or closed position While thespring jambs are pressing continuously against said sections. Aspreviously remarked, these arcuate surfaces prevent the possibility of acorner edge on the panel 10 striking a corner of the janib in thefolding movement and springing the jamb sideways in its mounting in theguide frame 21. These arcuate surfaces also maintain substantially thesame pressure against the spring pressed jamb as the stop lugs 46 swinginto and out of engagement with their corresponding stop shoulders 47.Preferably each jamb member 18 normally protrudes slightly from theguide frame 21 in which it is mounted (shown in Figs. 6 and 8) toprovide for a simplified and better construction of the parts, but itwill be understood that the arrangement may be such that the outer edgeof said jamb member will normally lie substantially flush with the outerface of the guide frame 21.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination with a doorway havlngupper and lower guideways, of a series of folding partition sectionsmovable along said guideways, a yielding jamb at one side of saiddoorway, and cooperating surfaces on said jamb and on the adjacent endsection 7 of folding partition sections movable along of the seriesadapted to haveresilient engagement with each other when the sectionsare extended to closed position and when said sections are folded'toopen position. i

2. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of aseries of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, ayielding jamb at one side of said doorway, and cooperatingsurfaces onsaid jamb and on the adjacent end section of the series adapted to haveresilient engagement with each other when said section is folded back toopen position. 7

3. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of aseries of folding partition sections comprising an end section movablein its entirety along said guideways, said end" section being foldedinto open position at the corresponding side of said doorway, retainingmeans adapted to prevent movement of said end section along saidguideways when in open position, and a yielding j amb at the latter sideof said doorway arranged to bear against said end section.

4. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of afolding partition section movable along said guideways and adapted to befolded back at one side of said doorway, a second folding partitionsection movable along said .guideways and adapted to be folded backat'the other side of said doorway, both of said partitions havingretaining means respectively associated therewith to prevent reversemovement of said partitions along said guide ways when in open position,and spring pressed jamb members at both sides of said doorways arrangedto have resilient engagement with said partition sections when thesections are extended to closed position and when said sections arefolded to open position.

5. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of afolding I partition member mounted in said doorway, means adapted tohold said partition against movement'along said guideways when in openposition, a spring pressed jamb member at one side of said doorwayadapted to have yielding engagement with said partition member, andarcuate surfaces on one of sald members maintaining contact with theother of said members when said partition member folded at the side ofsaid doorway.

6. The combination with a doorway hav upper and lower guideways, of aseries said guideways, means adapted to lock said, partition sectionsagainst movement along said guideways when said sections are folded.into open position, a spring pressed jamb" member at one side of saiddoorway arranged to have a yielding engagement with the ad-. jacent endsection of the series, and arcuate surfaces on said end section adaptedto have rotatlve contact with said amb member when said latter sectionis folded back to open position. i

7. The combination with a doorway hav ing upper and lower guideways, ofa series of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, aspring pressed jamb mounted at one side of said doorway adapted to haveyielding pressure engagement against the adjacent end section of theseries, and arcuate surfaces projecting laterally from the side of saidend section against which said jamb is adapted to bear as said endsection is being folded back to open position.

.8. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, ofa series of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, ayielding amb mounted at one side of said doorway and adapted to haveyielding contact with the adjacent end section of said series, andarcuate abutment surfaces extending around the edge and one side of saidend section and against which said jamb is adapted to bear when saidsection is extended to closed position and when said section is beingfolded back to open position.

9. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower g'uideways, ofaseries of folding partition sections comprising pivot-" ally connectedpanels movable along said guideways, a yielding amb mounted at one sideof said doorway adapted to have a yielding engagement with the outeredge of the end panel of saidseries, said outer edge being rounded, andarcuate surfaces projecting from the side of said end panelsubstantially in continuation of said rounded edge and against whichsaid jamb' is adapted to bear as said end panel is beingswung back tofold" ed position. V i

10. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, ofa series of folding partition sections comprising piv- 'otally-connectedpanels adapted to move along said guideways, a spring pressed jainbmounted at one side of said doorway, said amb having a concave edgeadapted to ena e with a convex ed e on the end panel of the series whensaid panel is extending substantially in the plane of the doorway,andarcuate surfaces pro ectlng from the side of said end'panelsubstantially in continuation of said convex edge for contacting withthe edge of said amb when said panel is being folded back to a closedposition substant ally at right angles to said doorway.

.11. The, combination with a doorway hav ing upper and lower guideways,of a series of folding partition sections comprising an" end panelslidably mounted for movement along said guideways, a spring pressed jamb mounted at one side of said doorway and adapted to transmit yieldingpressure to said end panel when said sections are extended to closedposition, and plate members mounted on the folding side of said endpanel adjacent to the upper and" lower corners thereof and havingprotruding arcuate surfaces adapted to contact with said j amb when saidpanel is being folded back to open position.

12. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, ofa series of folding partition sections comprising an end panel mountedfor sliding movement along said guideways, a spring pressed. jambmounted at one side of said doorway and adapted to have yieldingengagement with said end panel, wear plates recessed in the opposingedges of said end panel and amb, and arcuate bearing surfaces extendingfrom the wear plates in said panel around on the folding side of saidpanel.

13. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, ofa series of folding partition sections comprising an end panel mountedfor sliding movement along said guideways, means cooperating with saidend panel for locking said panel against sliding movement when saidpanel is folded into open position, a spring pressed jamb mounted at oneside of said doorway, concave wear plates recessed in the projectingedge of said jamb, convex wear plates recessed in the opposing edge ofsaid end panel and adapted to contact with said first-named wear plates,and side plates mounted on the folding side of said end panel and havinglaterally projecting arcuate bearing surfaces extending substantially incontinuation of said convex wear plates and adapted to e11- gage withthe wear plates in said jamb when said panel is folded to open position.

14. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, ofa series of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, aguide frame at one side of said doorway, a jamb member mounted in saidguide frame, screws extendingthrough holes in said jaInb member andengaging in said guide frame, said jamb member being guided for movementon said screws, and compression springs mounted on said screws betweenthe inner edge of said jamb member and said guide frame, the outer edgeof said jamb member protruding from said guide frame and adapted to haveyielding engagement with the adjacent end section of the series ofpartition sections under the pressure of said springs.

15. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, ofa plurality of folding partition sections movable along said guideways,stop shoulders associated with one of said guideways adjacent to theside of said doorway, locking lugs mounted on said sections and adaptedto engage with said stop shoulders for holding said partition sectionsin folded position, and

a yielding jamb at the latter side of said doorway arranged to exertresilient pressure against the end section of the series when thelocking lug of said section is engaging with its associated stopshoulder.

16. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, ofa series of folding partition sections movable along said guideways, ayielding jamb at one side of said doorway arranged to exert resilientpressure against the adjacent end section of the series, cooperatingstop shoulders on said sections, and associated with one of saidguideways, for holding said sections in folded position, and arcuatesurfaces on the end section of the series for maintaining contact withsaid yielding jamb when said end section is in folded position.

17 The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, of aplurality of folding partition sections each comprising hingedlyconnected panels all movable endwise along said guideways, one group ofsections being adapted to be folded to one side of said doorway and theother group of sections to be folded to the other side of said doorway,spring pressed ambs at the opposite sides of said doorways, lockingshouloers mounted on said sections adapted to engage with cooperatinglocking shoulders associ ated with one of said guid ways for holdingsaid sections in folded poll on, pins mounted on certain of saidsections for guiding morement in the upper guideway and adapted to passout of said upper guideway through intercepting pa sageways when saidsections are folded, and rounded abutment surfaces extending around touter edge and. side of each end section for maintaining contact withsaid jambs when the sections are extended to closed position and whenthe tions are folded to open position.

18. The combination with a doorway having upper and lower guideways, ofa se 'ies of folding partition sections movable along said guideways,lockin means adapted to hold said partition secti dns in open position,and spring pressed jambs disposed at each side of said doorwayresiliently engaging said partition sections when in either closed oropen positions, said spring pressed jambs cooperating to urge saidpartition sections against said locking means when said partitionsections are folded to open position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this third day ofOctober, 1928.

ELLIS J Gr. Pl-HLLIPS.

